China remains Vietnam’s largest source of international visitors
DNO - China continues to play a defining role in Vietnam’s tourism recovery, emerging once again as the country’s largest international source market and a key driver of growth.
According to data released by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, Vietnam welcomed more than 6.76 million international visitors in the first quarter of the year.
Mainland Chinese tourists accounted for over 1.4 million arrivals, representing more than 20% of the total.
The figure highlights not only scale but also the rapid rebound of a market that had been largely absent during the pandemic years.
The trend builds on a strong performance in 2025, when Vietnam recorded a historic high of over 21 million international visitors.
Of these, nearly 5.3 million came from China, making up roughly 25% of total arrivals.
In practical terms, one in every four international tourists visiting Vietnam last year was Chinese, underscoring the market’s structural importance.
China became the first market to surpass one million visitors to Vietnam as early as 2011, when more than 1.3 million Chinese tourists were recorded out of a total of 5.9 million international arrivals.
More than a decade later, its position at the top remains firmly intact.
Air connectivity has been a critical factor behind this sustained growth. Vietnamese carriers such as Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air operate direct routes linking major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu, with key Vietnamese destinations.
Charter flights have further expanded access to secondary cities and popular leisure hubs such as Sanya, Guilin and Hangzhou.
At the same time, major Chinese airlines, including China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, have increased services to Vietnam, connecting cities such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Nha Trang.
With flight times ranging from two to five hours, Vietnam remains a highly accessible destination for Chinese travellers.
Cost competitiveness is another major advantage. Compared with other regional destinations, Vietnam continues to offer relatively affordable travel experiences without compromising service quality.
This positioning has made the country particularly attractive to China’s growing middle class, a segment increasingly willing to spend on travel.
Industry insiders note that Chinese tourists are also evolving in their preferences. While group tours remain common, there is a noticeable shift toward more experience-driven travel.
Visitors are spending more on local cuisine, especially fresh seafood, wellness services such as spa treatments, and culturally immersive experiences.
Accommodation choices are also becoming more discerning, with demand rising for well-designed, comfortable resorts that reflect local identity.
At the same time, tourism flows between the two countries are increasingly reciprocal.
Vietnam and China are among each other’s most significant outbound markets, supported by geographical proximity and shared cultural touchpoints.
This two-way dynamic adds resilience to the broader tourism relationship.